TOASTED MARSHMALLOW MACARONS

Posted in macarons by sallybr

Pretty smitten with this bake, a very unusual twist on macarons, adding toasted marshmallows (made quickly in the air-fryer) to the buttercream, which is a simple American version with a small amount of cream cheese to lighten things up.

TOASTED MARSHMALLOW MACARONS
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

For the shells:
200g powdered sugar
115 g almond flour
115 g egg whites at room temperature (approx. 4 eggs)
1/8 tsp of cream of tartar (optional)
100 g granulated sugar
¼ tsp vanilla paste or extract
drops of yellow gel food color

for the filling:
160g powdered sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
2 tbsp cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp marshmallow extract (I used this one) – substitute vanilla, if you prefer
1/2 -1 tbsp room temperature whipping cream as necessary
pinch of salt
3 toasted large marshmallows

Line 3 heavy baking sheets with parchment/baking paper or Silpat mats. Layer the powdered sugar and almond flour in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture looks like fine meal, about 12 pulses. Pass through a sieve and transfer to a small bowl or to a sheet of parchment/baking paper. Set aside.

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Make sure that the bowl and the whisk are impeccably clean. Starting on medium speed, whip the whites with the cream of tartar until they look like light foam. The whites should not appear liquid. The foam will be light and should not have any structure.

Slowly rain in the granulated sugar in five additions, trying to aim the stream between the whisk and the side of the bowl. Turn the speed up to high. Continue to whip the meringue until it is soft and shiny. It should look like marshmallow creme (marshmallow fluff). Add the vanilla. Whip the egg whites until the mixture begins to dull and the lines of the whisk are visible on the surface of the meringue. Check the peak. It should be firm. Transfer the whites to a medium bowl.

Fold in the almond flour mixture in two increments. Add yellow gel color. Paint the mixture halfway up the side of the bowl, using the flat side of a spatula. Scrape the mixture down to the center of the bowl. Fill a piping bag and pipe shells over Silpat or parchment paper.

Slam each sheet hard four to six times on the counter/worktop. Let the unbaked macarons dry until they look dull but not overly dry. Drying time depends on humidity. In a dry climate, the macarons can dry in 15 to 20 minutes; in a humid climate, it can take 35 to 40 minutes.

While the macarons are drying, heat the oven to 300 F. Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack. Check in 11 minutes. If the tops slide or move (independently of the ‘feet’ when you gently twist the top), then bake for 2 to 3 more minutes. Check one or two. If they move when gently touched, put them back in the oven for 1 to 2 more minutes until they don’t move when touched. Let the macaroons cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. The macarons should release without sticking.

Make the filling: whisk the butter and cream cheese for a couple of minutes, add all other ingredients except the toasted marshmallow and whipping cream. Whisk at low speed first, then increase the speed until smooth. Toast the marshmallows in the air-fryer at 400F for 3 minutes. Let it cool briefly, cut in pieces and add to the buttercream. Whisk well with a hand held blender so that the pieces of marshmallow get incorporated. Adjust consistency with cream if needed.

If you like to decorate the shells, use a stencil and air-brush orange color to make a grid pattern.

Assemble the macarons: find two macarons similar in size and add a good amount of filling to the bottom of one of them. Place the other on top and squeeze gently to take the filling all the way to the edge. Store in the fridge for 24 hours for perfect texture.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I first saw the use of toasted marshmallows on a reel on Facebook, without too many details, so I improvised my way through it. Definitely add some cream cheese, it gives this sweet filling a nice sharper edge. The little bits of marshmallow offer unexpected texture, I love what it did to the filling. Decorating the shells is of course optional, but you know me, cannot leave a shell alone. Or a sourdough. Or a cookie. I hope you try this recipe in a future macaron adventure.

1 YEAR AGO: Banana Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream Frosting

2 YEARS AGO: Air-Fryer Chicken Skewers

3 YEARS AGO: Almond-Cranberry Sandwich Cookies

4 YEARS AGO: Brazilian Candy, Surpresa de Uva

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5Aug2026

TRICOLOR CHICKPEA SALAD

Posted in Rice and Grains, Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

When I make a salad, I don’t really expect that much enthusiasm coming from the husband, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much he enjoyed this one. Plus, not only it is quite a simple recipe, but leftovers held well for two days in the fridge. Very sturdy. Chickpeas, raw zucchini, grape tomatoes and feta cheese. If white is to be considered a color, well, then let’s make it a “Four-Color Salad” and call it a day!

TRI-COLOR CHICKPEA SALAD
(inspired by several sources)

1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1 large zucchini, cut in small dice
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (15 oz)
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Calamansi vinegar (or apple cider vinegar with squirt of lemon juice)
salt and pepper to taste
crumbled feta cheese to taste

Whisk the olive oil with vinegar in a small bowl, set aside.

Add tomatoes, zucchini and chickpeas to a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the mixture of olive oil/vinegar and mix well. Keep in the fridge for 15 minutes, then add the crumbled feta and serve. Adjust seasoning if needed.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I am quite in love with Calamansi vinegar, which believe ir or not, I found at Walmart… It is available at The Very Evil Empire, but it will cost you a lot more. I first heard about it on Milk Street, and they were right, it is a great product. Back to the salad: cut the zucchini in very small dice, because it will be incorporated raw, so the 15 minutes in the presence of the acidic dressing will be enough to mellow it, but not if it is cut in large pieces. A little cilantro could go well with all the other flavors, or maybe some mint. I had neither, so my salad was a bit more austere. This one will also be part of our rotation side dishes because whenever the husband loves a salad, I know it is a real keeper.

1 YEAR AGO: Banana Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream Frosting

2 YEARS AGO: Air-Fryer Chicken Skewers

3 YEARS AGO: Almond-Cranberry Sandwich Cookies

4 YEARS AGO: Brazilian Candy, Surpresa de Uva

5 YEARS AGO: Red Quinoa “Tabbouleh”

6 YEARS AGO: Cucumber Salad with Yogurt-Harissa Dressing

7 YEARS AGO: Sundried Tomato and Feta Cheese Torte

8 YEARS AGO: Hickory-Smoked Beef Tenderloin

9 YEAR AGO: Spaghetti Squash, Revisited

10 YEARS AGO: Stir-fried Chicken and Cabbage in Spicy Almond Sauce

11 YEARS AGO: Fifteen Years!

12 YEARS AGO: Light Brioche Burger Buns

13 YEARS AGO: Sourdough Blues

14 YEARS AGO: Headed to Hawaii

15 YEARS AGO: A yummy Brazilian cake: Bolo de Fuba’

16 YEARS AGO: Hidden Treasure

17 YEARS AGO: Avocado Three Ways

1Aug2026

TWO INCREDIBLY EASY VEGETARIAN DISHES

Posted in Air-Frying, Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

It’s been a while since I posted in the Incredibly Easy folder, but today I share two tasty little recipes that will definitely be part of our rotation. First, a tortilla-egg concoction with tomato and cheese, next a tricolor carrot preparation in the air-fryer.

MINI EGG & TOMATO TORTILLA
(inspired by Hungry Happens)

for one serving

spray of olive oil
1 small flour tortilla
4 slices of tomato
1 egg, beaten with salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence
shredded or sliced mozzarella
avocado for serving (optional)

Spray olive oil in a small non-stick skillet, preferably one with the exact same diameter of your tortilla. Place on medium heat and immediately cover the pan with 4 slices of tomato. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, flip the slices, cook for one minute longer.

Pour the egg over it, and cover it with the tortilla. Cook on medium-low heat until you notice the edges of the egg getting firm and starting to get some color. Carefully flip the tortilla, adding a little more olive oil to the pan before doing so. Add some mozzarella on top, cover the pan and cook until the cheese is melted and the tortilla gets good color at the bottom, probably around 3 more minutes. Serve with avocado slices.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The little pan I used was an impulse buy from a while ago, I found it at our grocery store in town and could not resist it. It is 5.5 inches in diameter and worked perfectly for the small tortilla with a single egg. Visit Hungry Happens site to see a bigger version. I actually made it but prefer the small one, easier to handle and perfect as a lunch for yours truly. Next time I will use a slice of mozzarella instead of shredded because it will melt faster. Consider that if you make it.
.

Moving on….

AIR-FRYED TRICOLOR CARROTS WITH ORANGE
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

2 carrots of each color (orange, purple, yellow)
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
squirt of fresh orange juice

Cut the carrots in sticks. Place in a bowl, drizzle olive oil to coat them well. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze orange juice all over, and immediately air-fry at 400F until done, about 20 minutes, shaking the basket every once in a while.

ENJOY1

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This does not get any easier… I know that people who do not own an air-fryer tend to roll their eyes to the ceiling when they read praise about it, but honestly, it is one gadget I adore ad use all the time. The dry air environment makes it cook things faster and provide a texture I prefer when compared to regular oven, especially for root vegetables. But it is also my method of choice for chicken and eggplant parmigiana. I hope you give this recipe a try, even if you have to use a regular oven. It is delicious, and yes, incredibly easy!

1 YEAR AGO: Two Incredibly Simple Recipes

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3 YEARS AGO: Going Beyond Guacamole

4 YEARS AGO: A Trio of Superstars

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28Jul2026

RAGGIO TRICOLOR YOGURT CAKE

Posted in Cake by sallybr

This cake is made with a special silicone pan from Silikomart, called Raggio. For some reason, I am always a bit insecure to try a recipe unless I see it made in that exact pan, so when I found this version years ago, I was thrilled. Promptly saved it in my files. Took me a while, but here I am to share the outcome. It is a bit sad that Barbara, the Polish-Italian food blogger behind it, does not seem to be publishing new recipes anymore, but if you want to pay her a visit and see the wonderful bakes she shared in the past, click here.

RAGGIO TRICOLOR YOGURT CAKE
(sightly modified from FoodOhFood)

450 g flour
2 tsp of baking powder
1 pinch of salt
220 g of soft butter
450 g white sugar
125 g strawberry yogurt
1 tsp of vanilla extract
5 eggs at room temperature
120 ml buttermilk

for the dark batter:
2 + 1/2 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder
2 + 1/2 tbsp of milk

for the red batter:
1 tbsp of milk
1 tbsp of cocoa
1 tsp strawberry emulsion (optional, I used this one)
red food dye

Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

In a KitchenAid type mixer, whisk soft butter along with sugar for 4-5 minutes or until it becomes light and fluffy. Add yogurt and whip again. Then gradually add eggs and finally vanilla extract. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a second bowl.
Now, gradually add buttermilk and dry ingredients into the mixture with the eggs. Do it in 3 or 4 times, always whipping at low speed until all the ingredients are well blended.

Weigh the batter and divide it into three equal parts. For the chocolate part, take a cup or a small bowl and mix a tablespoon of light mixture with 2 and a half tablespoons of milk and 2 and a half tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder. Add this color to the first third of the batter and stir in gently.

For the red color, mix a generous tablespoon of the light mixture with 1 tablespoon of milk, 1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, the strawberry emulsion (if using) and just enough of the red food dye. The teaspoon of cocoa is used to darken the red color. Add the prepared mix to the second third of the batter and stir in.

To give a desired tricolor effect, place the mould so that it remains slightly inclined. Add several spoonfuls of the red batter into the mould. Add some of the dark mixture to the bottom of the red color and some of the light mixture to the top. Fill the mold almost to the brim, alternating the colors, then place it on the flat surface and add a few more layers of colored batter. Fill the mould to about three quarters in hight. You will have leftover batter, that you can use to make cupcakes.

Bake at 350F for 50 – 60 minutes for the Raggio cake and 25 minutes for cupcakes. Or bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Once removed from the oven, let them cool completely before removing from the mould.

Serve with a light dust of powdered sugar, if so desired.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I confess intricate silicone pans intimidate me. Bundt pans are always a little stressful to un-mold, but silicone pans are like Bundts on steroids. The secret is to allow the cake to cool for a long time before releasing from the pan. Some people like to even stick it in the freezer for 30 minutes after cooling just to make sure. But when that cake comes out perfect, it’s the most amazing thrill…

This cake is super simple to make, and smells amazing as it bakes. I donated it whole, so apologies for not showing it cut. It is a small price to pay when you don’t eat your own concoctions…

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14 YEARS AGO: Home-made Corn Tortillas

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24Jul2026

ZUCCHINI FRITTATA WITH CUCUMBER-YOGURT SAUCE

Posted in Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

It’s been incredibly hot in this neck of the woods, so our dinners are for the most part light and easy to prepare. This frittata was inspired by a recipe from Elle a la Table. Delicious, even if the cucumber sauce seemed a bit unusual to be paired with it. They worked well together, much to my delight.

ZUCCHINI FRITTATA WITH CUCUMBER-YOGURT SAUCE
(inspired by Elle a la Table)

5 eggs
1 shallot, minced finely
1 zucchini (you might not need the whole zucchini, depending on its size)
20 g butter, divided
1 tablespoon grape seed oil
50 g pecorino cheese, grated
1/2 cucumber
150 g thick Greek yogurt
Herbes de Provence to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the sauce: peel and grate the cucumber. Mix them with the yogurt, Herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Reserve in the fridge until needed.

Wash the zucchini and cut in very thin rounds, do not peel it. In a large frying pan, cook the shallot and zucchini slices with half the butter and the olive oil over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs. Stir in the grated pecorino. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Increase the heat under the pan, add the remaining butter, and pour in the eggs. Cook until the bottom is fully set, cover the pan to allow steam to help start setting the top. Flip the frittata with the help of a plate, and cook the second side for a few minutes, util just set.

Serve with the cucumber sauce. It is also very good cold.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I don’t buy Pecorino cheese that often, but I probably should. It has such a sharp bite, sometimes it’s exactly what you need. For the frittata I used my Tarte Tatin pan, which is quite appropriate with the handles that allow for efficient “flipping”. The diameter is 9 3/4 inch, 2 inches high. You will have to use the amount of zucchini slices that fully cover your pan, and also play with the number of eggs. Full coverage is needed, but you cannot add a large volume or it will be a mess to try and flip it. For our pan, five eggs was the perfect amount.

The cucumber sauce is quite refreshing, you can use it as a side dish for all sorts of meals, I am dreaming of grilled salmon next. I was not sure if I was going to like the combination, so I added alongside. But here’s my second helping…